#1 Kyoto Kitcho

Located inside Hotel Granvia Kyoto right next to the central ticket gate of Kyoto Station, Kyoto Kitcho is a place where you can enjoy the distinct vibe of the season together with elaborate Japanese cuisine that pays careful attention to everything up to the smallest of details, such as the colors and china used in serving the dishes. Must try: Shokado Bento – a boxed lunch of kaiseki dishes that are usually served during tea ceremony. Only served during lunch.

#2 Shozankaku MATSUYAMA JR Kyoto Isetan Branch

If you want to enjoy proper Kyoto dishes at an affordable price, this is the place to be. This restaurant specializes in yuba (tofu skin - an ingredient often used in Kyoto dishes) that is made by hand at its own workshop. The Kyo-gonomi "Miyako" allows you to taste raw yuba, nama-fu (boiled ingredient that is made from gluten), seasonal vegetables, and other traditional ingredients.

#3 Morita-ya JR Kyoto Isetan Branch

Morita-ya is a veteran sukiyaki (dish in which meat cooked in salty-sweet sauce based on sugar and soy sauce is dipped in raw egg and then eaten) and shabu-shabu (dish in which meat is lightly cooked in broth and then eaten with sauce) restaurant in Kyoto that was founded in 1869. The beef used at Morita-ya is specialty beef that comes from cattle bred at Morita-ya FARM, the restaurant’s own farm in Tanba, Yasaka-cho in Kyoto. The best part is English menu available, and there are English-speaking staff to assist you too.

#4 Hatcho Ajidokoro Kushi no Bo (Kushiage)

If you feel like eating piping hot kushikatsu (deep-fried meat and vegetables on a skewer), then Hatcho Ajidokoro Kushi no Bo is the place to go. The appeal of this restaurant is not limited to its kushikatsu, though. This restaurant also offers a superb selection of special alcoholic beverages from all over Japan that have been chosen by the owner of Yokohama Kimijima-ya, a liquor store in Yokohama that was founded in 1892. English, Simplified Chinese, and Korean menus are available.

#5 Kuukaisan (Fresh Seafood and Authentic Kyoto Cuisine)

Enjoy eat extremely fresh fish and other seafood? Check this place out! Order the Shinsen O-sashimi Moriawase (assorted fresh sashimi) to enjoy fresh seafood in season that is directly delivered to the restaurant from across the country. The fish is also delicious when stewed or grilled. Must-try shio-yaki style (grilled with salt) and netsuke style (boiled in soy sauce).